Improvement in permutation locks



VVWNESSES NPETER-S. FNOTU-LITMOGRIFHER. WASHINGTON, D. (IA

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MARTIAL HAINQUE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO l-IIM- SELF AND ALEXANDER S'IEIGER, OF SAME PLACE.

' Letters Patent No. 107,251, dated September 13, 1870.a

IMPROVEMENT. IN PERMU'TATION LOCKVS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same I, MARTIAL HAINQUE, of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a certain new and improved Lock, of which the following is a specification.

Nature and Objects ofthc' Inrcntion.

My invention consists in a new and improved mode of constructing what are generally called permutation locks, such as have application on countinghouse safes, treasure vaults, &c.

Description of Accompanying Drawing.

Figure l is a plan of the parts of thelock which are between the out'er wall ol-,plate A of the safe and thc first inner plate B, (see fig. 4 ofthe drawing.)

Figure 2 is a pla-n of the parts between thc plate B and the plate C, (see fig.4.)

Figure 3 is a plan of the parts as seen outside plat-e C.

Figure 4 is an edge of the lock complete.

Figure 5 shows a view of the key-shaft.

Figure (i is a section of the cam D.

Figure 7 is a plan ofinterior ofthe caln.

Figure 8 is a plan of the rollers E in position.

Figure 9 is a view of the index-plate outside ofthe safe.

In all the figures of the drawing like letters of reference represent like parts.

General Description.

bar, it will pass over it when revolved; but if the notches ofthe rollers bc so placed that there is left a perfect circular space in the middle, as shown by the dotted lines in iig. S, then the colla-r will be unobstructed, and the key may bc pulled forward to engage with the sliding bar, so as to act on the boltof the lock. The proper position to be given the rollers, so as to he enabled to draw forward thekey. will bc indicated on thc outside of thc safe by the index-platcl, which will be rigidly secured to the key-shaft.

The rollers E will be set in position by revolving the toothed wheels 1 2 3 4, which have projecting pins K, which will be made to come in contact with similar pins L projecting from the face of each roller, the contact of these pinsbeing made by thc action ofthe cani and the revolution of the wheels.

The toothed wheels l 2 3 4 will be carried by and' revolve loosely on-thc shafts M, which have bearings in the plates B and C.

These shafts and the gears thereon will be made to slide back and forth bythe action of the cam D, which has the irregular-shaped groove d cut in its periphery. Into this groovc little pins or adjustable setscrcws N will project from the four shafts, (see figs'.l

2, 4, and 6;) thus, when the cam-is revolved, the shafts will be pushed forward and back, one after the other in regular order, because the groove d at one point is made to diverge a little to one side, (see iig, 4.)

The cam I) is itself revolved by turning the key O in one direction, which may either be to the right or to the left, accordingly as the pawl l, ig. 7', has been any movemcntofthe rollers,unless thc cam has thrown forward some one of the four wheels l 2 3 4.

Now, it will easily he seen that the central'part of the diverging portion of the groove I) must be in one of four divisions or points of the circle, otberwisenonc of the wheels 1 2 3 4 will 4he thrown forward. AWhen the cam is at one of these four points it will he indicated outside the safe by thc index-plate I, in this manner:

Let it be supposed that when the key is turned to the right, and brought to bear against the pawl 1, which'is easily felt bythe resistance occu1'ring,;and also, it may be known by the clicking ot the ratchetwheel Q, the letter W on the index denotes the position of the divergentlmrt of the groove, and whether the cam has thrown ont any one of the burwhecls. Thus, if W is at the top, it is known that wheel l is thrown forward, and it may be engaged with itsv cor-A responding roller.' Again, if W is at the first right quarter ofthe circle, wheel 2 is thrown forward, and may be engaged with its roller, and so on. llace NV at the lowerquartcr and left-hand quarter 'to` engage wheels 3 and 4. g

If W comes between and not exact-ly on one ofthe four quarter-ings of the circle, then none of the four,

Tlleconstruction of the cam D is shown in figs. 6

and 7. It a circular disk, having groove before described out in its periphery. In the recess where the key revolves the pawl I? is set, which is operated by 'strike a siniilar pin, g,

the spring R. If the pawl points to the right the cani is to revolve to the left, or rice lversa.

To prevent any movement of the cani in the wrong direction, a ratchet-wheel, Q, with the pawl S, is supi than the others, because of the four wheels slidingA back and forth; it may revolve loosely on the key-shaft, and a little project-ing pin, f, on the collar I?, may projecting from the side gear, so as to-push it'around.

1n figs. l and 4 I show an interior index-plate, U, similar to the one outside the safe; it is used as a guide in sett-ing the eombination,7 in this manner:

The lock being removed from the safe., that is, all attached to the plates B and C, which are purposely made for convenient removal, the cam is turned as to throw forward gear 1 then note what letteris at the top. Let iissay, as in fig. 1, \Vis at the top it may then always be known that if W is set at one of the four quarters of the circle, the corresponding gear is set forward to operate its roller; the two indexes correspond. The cam isset by turning the knob to the right, then the gears are operated on the rollers by turning to the left.

' As above, the cam has set forward gear l; nowtiirn to the left till roller l is set exactly in position for opening the lock; this may be known by an arrow point on the roller and the plate A coming in line.

According to the index we find, let ns say G, is on top; then turn to theright, as before, and set forward wheel 2, then to the lgft, until roller 2 is set; say' we find V0 is Athe top letter; proceed as before for the' rc- `maining rollers 3 and 4, and suppose we have L and D as our top letters; then the key-word for opening the lock is Gr O L I), and is the index for setting the wheels. v i

Then it is desired to change the key-word, proceed as follows:

First, note what tooth of t-lie gear l is oppositeany given point when its roller is set for openii'igthe lock.

For convenience of doing this, there is a pin,.'r, pro-A jecting from the Vplate B, (see fig. 4,) which points to a marked tooth of -the gear; then turn the index around until the iirstlett-cr of your new key-word comes to the top. Say the new word is It O S E; then, when R is at 'the top, reinovegear l from its spindle, and change it around until the marked tooth is opposite the pin fr; then set the second gear in like inanner, O heilig the top letter; then the third gear S being on top, and, lastly, the fourth gear, E, being at the top. y

It will not bc convenient to alter the index-letter which sets the cam, for that would necessitate changing the position ofthe pawl I.

In fig. l I have shown the letters on the indexplate, although, being on. the other side of' the plate,

they would not appear in this view; however, it explains better to show them as I have done.

In' a properly-constructed lock there should be as many teeth in each gear as there are letters on the index-plate, making a tooth for a letter.

The sliding liar H and the catchr V are of common construction, and no elaborate description need be made of them.

\Vhen the key has been drawn forward it is turned until it enters the notch XV of the sliding bar, and, when further revolved, it llifts the catch which holds the sliding bar, and, the bar being released, it .can be moved forward.

The spring X throws the catch at each end of the stroke ofthe bolt, when the pin Y will enter. the recesses, and thus the sliding bar is locked. The device is well understood by those acquainted with such locks.

The plates A, B, and C ai'e fastened together with bolts, with socket-s or thimbles between, to keep the plates the proper distance apart.

Z is the knob or handle ofthe lock.

'lhe index-plate I should be so secured to the keyshaft that it may not be easily moved, and a mark should be made to indicate its exact position witlireference to the key-shaft.

lfroin the foregoing the operation may be known; but in condensed forni I will describe the manner of opening the lock as follows:

Operation.

Let \V he the index-letter for setting the wheels, andv G O L I) the key-word for setting the rollers; then First, turn the knob to the right till W is'at the top quarter of the circle. Be sni'e the key has moved the cam, which may be known, as before stated, by the click of the ratchet it' not, give the knob another turn; then turn the knob to the left, and set the first letter of your key-word Gat the top quarter. Ali ways make a complete revolution, even it' you pass the point for setting your letter once.

Second, now turn the knob to the right, and bring IV on the right quarter; then turn to the left, and set O on top. v

Third, turn t the right and set \V at the lower quarter, then to thelcft, and set L at the top of circle.

Fourth, turn to the right and set \V on the left quarter, and then to the left, and place D at the top. New pull the knob forward, and turn ltill the bolt is shot back, andthe safe can be opened.

4 Claim.

I clailn as my invention- 'lhe combination of theicani D, the sliding shafts M, and the train of gears haring the projecting pins thereon operated by the key O in setting the notched disks, as and for the purpose described.

MARTIAL HAINQUE.

Witnesses Gnoiien IAuny, GaAs. W. BRYANT. 

